Unplugged

 

Remote camping on Mount Washington.

Our 3 Jeeps did the trek up.  Squirrel and I did an intimidating obstacle on the way.  Called Sketchy Bridge.  I did not see evidence of a bridge.  I did have to drive it entirely by trusting my spotter (Eric) 
and blindly doing what his hands said to do.  Scary.  Another family joined us later.

The spot was worth the trek.

Those are squirrel lights.  

There is no light or noise pollution.

So relaxing.

Eric was the only one to go in.  He reports it's warmer than our pool.

Erik making dinner.

Eric making dinner.

They needed to carve a bit of bark off.  Both of them whipped out their knives.  Too funny.

We were cozy.  We could talk through our windows.  I slept great.  Eric is struggling to get his bed comfy.  At least we were warm enough.

Tea in my Squirrel mug :)

Fun fact.

 My Tremfya infusion medication is live.  They call me each month before the appointment date to make sure everyone is on track.  The next appointment is Aug 25.  The live culture for me starts it's growth today.  I just got the call :)

Botanical Beach

 

Sasha had an appointment with our vet on Friday.  The second we went in the door she started panting and promptly peed on me.  So I took my t-shirt off for the appointment.  She did a blood sample and we discussed the meds long term.  I did tell her I felt the seizures in the emergency vet were because they overdosed her.  The blood work came back and on Monday I got a call from Dr. Amelia and after talking to the emergency vet and reading the file she agrees with me, so we are thankfully weaning Sasha off of the anti seizure meds.  They keep her tired and dizzy and need to be given every 8 hours.  So right now I do noon, 8pm and 4am.  I'd love to drop the 4am!  However, Sasha is now taking her pills in peanut butter!  So it is easy.

Then we were asked to get a pee sample.  Haha.  The suggestion is to walk her on a leash for her morning pee outside and have a ladle to put under her.  Omg.  She is 5.6lbs and uses a pee pad.  I woke this morning, locked Coco out of our room, put a pee mat on the floor upside down and she peed on it.  What a doll.  It's like she understood the mission.  We poured it into a ziplock and Eric delivered it to the vet this morning.  I'm feeling accomplished and that might be enough for today.

Eric is helping a friend today.  Fei worked last night so she'll sleep all day.  Luk wakes in the afternoon, such a teen.  Kai was up at 4:30 today so he should be napping soon.  Jia and Lili are working.  I ran my errands yesterday.  So there isn't much on my shedule today.  

I did wake in another low.  3.8.  So, another cereal morning.  Shreddies with banana.  The shaking and cold  sweats are almost over.  Next will be a chill, then I'll need a nap.  Eric hung around today until my brain was functioning a bit better.  I get very confused in a low.  With all I have happening physically, the diabetes is 1000% the worst.  It staggers me to hear that I'm actually really well managed.  How are others dealing with regulating their blood all day, every day.  No breaks. Ever.

On Saturday we joined another family and did the back road from Lake Cowichan to Port Renfrew and visited Botanical Beach.  We haven't been in many, many years.  The pools have been decimated by poachers.  It's not like it used to be.  It was fun to hunt for critters.  It's bleak though.  When you compare it to the abundance on Side Bay.  

This was funny to me.  Wicked wild, curvy road all the way but where a wee bridge was repaired there is now free standing lights.  In the middle of no where.  

The hike down is 1km.  The hike up is more like 3.  Haha.  Kidding.  It's 1km up.  I gave myself a head start and did it more leisurely.  It did mean time alone in the deep forest.  Bit scary.

It was a good day.

Our plan was to head out just Oscar and Squirrel on Sunday and find a couple lakes on our own.  However, Oscar was chirping.  So, we were grounded.  Turns out he needs a new front drive shaft.  We're waiting for it to come in, fingers crossed for today.

We have two camping invites.  One to Franklin Falls in Port Alberni and one to camp on Mount Washington.  I want to do both.  We can go together in Squirrel if Oscar is still throwing a fit.  

Normalacy?

 

Mr is headed home today.

He's had a fabulous trip.

We all managed ok without him.

The dogs are running around like normal.

My sugars have been perfect for the last few days.

I feel almost 100%.

I ate taco salad last night and survived to tell the tale.  

Dinner for tonight is planned and out of the freezer.

I'm sitting down with caffeine, sugar  free tea, a high protein, low calorie, whole grain, sugar free blackberry pancake and a bowl of blueberries.

Kai had a bath yesterday and ate his breakfast already so he's set to head out today.

Luk wants a haircut, so the plan is to head out with the boys soonish.  Or perhaps right after lunch so I can dose Sassy her noon meds.

The challenge today is finding a compounding pharmacy in Duncan that can make tiny doses for tiny Miss.

I slept better than usual last night.

I mean today feels sort of normal.  Or whatever that is.  Maybe it just feels like there is no immediate crisis.

The pill saga.

Ok, morning update. She took the chicken with the pill like a pro. Zero issues!  However...

I put the second  pill in chicken on my side table, turned to get it and it wasn't there.  Looked around and saw Coco swallowing.

My Gawd.

So Sassy got one of the two.  I have no clue which and Coco got the other.

I was on the phone to my Mommy stat while we looked up how serious it was for Coco to eat an anti seizure med.  

Yikes.  Turns out, not serious if dose was for her size.  Phew.

So it was still a long night.  Watching Sassy who missed a dose.  And Coco who might react.

They're both still breathing.

Sassy didn't have a seizure.

Coco has slept better than usual, so I'm suspecting she got the anti seizure pill versus the steroid pill.

Sassy took her midnight pill and 4am pill like a champ.  No issues.  She didn't sleep well, was up awake a lot.  She puts her paw on me and taps of so gently.  Wanting pets.  I think.  Who really knows.  I don't actually speak Chihuahua. It's possible she is still showing me her owie or wanted me to put her on the floor.

We have nothing on my agenda today.  Dinner is planned.  Four kids here.  I put a 4am Walmart order in.  It's being delivered right now.

I did a thing a while ago and signed up for the yearly Walmart delivery plan.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.  Best thing ever.  

Owies

 

Sassy keeps showing me her owie on her leg.  From the i.v.

She is just the sweetest.  Sob.

Eric put in a ton of work getting Oscar ready for his trip.  He left at 3:30am on Saturday and got the obligatory ferry picture at daybreak.  Looking sharp Oscar.

Meeting up for the Whipsaw trail.

17 tigs started out together.  A bit of drama and one couple left.  Then there was a split.  I don't know much.  Why can't the groups get along?  So frustrating.  Eric and Ben left the others and camped on their own on the other side of the lake ;)  

Eric was gunner.  The air is thick with smoke.  They saw live fire through Manning Park.  I'm sure he'll have lots to tell me when he's home.

It was freezing on the mountain top.  Light snow.  Eric took his fleece pillowcase off and used it as a hat.  I haven't heard from him yet today.  He obviously survived.  I saw him moving on the 360 app this morning.

He did send these three photos of a ground squirrel.  Adding to the fomo.

The house that was shot up and had bombs thrown at it is for sale.  Won't you be our neighbor.  Haha.  I sure hope it doesn't become a rental again.

I keep hearing thumps and bumps outside.  Sounds like near or in Eric's garage.  Luk went to investigate for me.  I thought maybe the darn raccoons but nope.  We have a new family living on the back patio.

With their wee button babies.

I'm pathetically watching the time for Sassy's med time.  The fear and anxiety is real.  Fei left for work.  Jia is with Robert.  I'm on my own with Luk and Kai.

You know how everyone says to call if you need them...does this qualify?  Can someone come and support me in shoving pills down Sasha's throat?  Kidding, not kidding.  

Chanting, I can do this, I can do this. We medicated Finn for years with liquid.  Gave insulin shots to Jr.  Izzy was easy, we threw pills and she caught and ate them followed by a treat.  But I have never shoved a pill down a Chi.  Cats are murder to medicate.  But I jabe done it, dressed in armor.  With Sassy I don't want to hurt her, upset her or violate her trust.  

4rth update

 I finally got a call this morning.  She is stable and can come home.  The Kepra worked.  No more seizures.  Picking her up at 1.

So, I'm fussing around, pets, tidying, laundry, fed Kai brunch.  And the phone rings.  Vet. Oh no.

There are no compounding pharmacies open on the island re the long weekend.  The Kepra pills are too much for her.  You aren't supposed to break them.  They are suggesting she could stay in hospital two more days.  Omg.  It's about $1000 a day.  Next option, she takes high doses of Kepra until we can get meds compounded.  Which is the option I took.  

I can't believe I'm back in the realm of compounding meds for a tiny dog again.  It is fraught with so many issues.  The whole vet situation on this island is sad.  

I do appreciate that Sasha got care.  She would have definitely died without them.  But the process is so flawed.  

3rd update

 She had another seizure this evening.  Now on anti seizure meds.  They are talking neurologist.  I wasn't keen to go that route so they immediately went into talks of end of life care.  Yikes.  She was running around on Thursday.  

This is hard.

Next update in the morning.  If the seizure meds are working She might be able to come home tomorrow.

Sassy Update

 6pm Saturday.  She is still not stable.  Her electrolytes are off.  She is hydrated and her sugars are good.  She is still not eating.  Far more concerning, she had a seizure this morning at 10:30 and they don't know why.

My guess is too many meds for her wee sick body to deal with.

She isn't coming home tonight.  Sigh.

It's been a very, VERY long day waiting for news. 

Surprisingly my sugars are perfect today.  Go figure.

Sassy is sick.

My little muffin just wasn't herself.

So on the Friday evening of the long weekend I asked Dr Google some questions and he said her symptoms were emergent.  So, it was off to the emergency vet in Nanaimo.

Fei came with me.  We went in Squirrel, she is the most equipped.

While little miss had tests we crawled in the back of the Jeep.  I was charging my phone and Fei wrapped up in a  squirrel blankie.  We could have made tea.  I had quickly packed snacks.  Lili even joined us for a wee visit.  The three of us fit ;)  

It took a couple hours for diagnostic tests.  Sedated X-rays and bloodwork.  The vet thought everything was indicative of Addison's Disease.  Sassy stayed there overnight for more testing and hydration.  

I just got an email at 3am confirming Addisons.  I don't know much about it.  She will need steroids and electrolytes for life.  It's not fatal and no surgery. 

I get a call in the morning about next steps.  Her meds have started now.

My poor wee baby.

I hate the prices but I'm glad we took her in.  The service has been amazing.  It's really awful leaving babies to be in the hospital.  How can she possibly understand?

Sidebar...there is a kitten in care.  They need her to pee.  She is in a kennel with a litter box, a privacy curtain and classical music being played for her.  Awe.  

2nd Sidebar...Eric just left at 3:30am for his Whipsaw trip.  I have serious fomo. Sassy needs me, so everything for a reason.

6:30 am update.  She is on new meds for life and tolerating it ok so far.  Pain meds knocked her out so they're trying a different one.  Her electrolytes are still out of whack.  Still dehydrated.  Not eating but also not vomiting. So, not stable yet.  Day vet coming on at 8.  Next update will be late morning.  It doesn't sound like she will be home today. I haven't slept yet.  Guess how messed up my guts are with this level of stress?!  Guessing my cortisol problem will have my glucose level doing crazy unpredictable things today.